Just Say It
by Lyralocke
Summary: Kataang, oneshot. Aang felt himself breaking into a sweat when she spoke to him. She didn't need to say much. All that I am, everything there is of me, I want to be yours.


_I feel ill and I needed to make myself feel better. I got this idea from just one line in it that is actually from a dream I had that had nothing at all to do with Avatar. It's a load of fluff, really. At least it served its purpose. I still feel ill, but I don't feel quite so miserable._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar_

* * *

He stared openly at her, unable to convince himself that he had heard what she had just said.

She stared right back, long lashes nearly hiding her eyes and a smile on her face that clearly said she had a secret.

"S…sorry, what did you say?" Aang stammered. That secret smile of hers remained in place, her bright blue eyes sparkling in amusement as she drew closer to him.

"You heard what I said," she said quietly, her voice low. Aang felt himself sweating despite the cold of the night. After all, the South Pole was still cold, even in the summer.

"Katara…" he began slowly, his brain still working furiously to swallow what had just happened.

"Aang," she replied, laughter in her voice. She placed a gentle hand on his cheek, drawing his gaze to hers. "All that I am… everything there is of me… I want to be yours."

Aang blushed instantly from head to toe.

"Katara…" he said again, sounding awestruck. She leaned closer to him, pressing her cheek to his and closing her eyes. He could feel her breath on his ear as she whispered, and he could hear the smile in her voice.

"I love you…"

"What are you trying to do to me?" he laughed helplessly, turning his head slightly and burying his face in the crook of her neck.

She laughed in response, that musical laugh of hers that hadn't changed at all in the four years since she found him. That beautiful laugh that he now equated with everything from the simple pleasures to the greatest joys in life.

"I'm trying to get you to answer my question," she murmured, giving him a firm push to dislodge him from her neck. He grabbed onto her waist at the last second and the two of them stumbled back a few steps, laughing.

"It wasn't technically posed as a question," Aang pointed out quietly, leaning his forehead against hers. "You just said…"

Katara glanced up at him when he fell silent. He was blushing, staring at his feet. His mouth was open as though he was going to continue, but the words didn't seem to want to come.

"Said what?" she whispered, sounding amused. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Her lips were tilting toward his, that secret smile of hers back in place. Her eyes were fixed on his, narrowed in a clear challenge.

"Uh…" was the only response he could muster. Most of his brain seemed to have stopped functioning. "Wait…" He finally gained the sense to shake his head, pulling back from her slightly. She sighed in frustration, but didn't say anything. Instead, she leveled an appraising look at him, waiting for him to continue.

"This isn't uh… proper," he muttered, blushing again and glancing away from her.

Katara snorted with laughter. "Proper," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Since when has anything we've ever done been proper?"

"But tradition is still important, isn't it?" he asked quietly, sounding suddenly insecure.

"Yes," she agreed quietly, reaching up and turning him back toward her. She held his gaze without even trying. "But it's time, Aang. Tradition or not… I love you. That should be the only thing that matters."

He smiled in spite of himself, tugging her closer.

"So I'll say it again," she continued, smiling. He looked at her, waiting for her to repeat herself.

He had to commit everything about this moment to his memory. The cold of the arctic wind over the balcony they were standing on, the subtle glare of the full moon. The blush on her cheeks, the way her lips curved and her eyes glittered when she smiled. The warmth of her arms around his neck and her breath on his lips. He waited, holding his breath, to memorize the way her voice sounded when she said it.

"Marry me."

He closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. He heard her laugh softly and looked down at her. She tilted her head slightly, a demure smile in place of her smirk.

"Forget propriety, Aang," she whispered, leaning up toward him again. "Forget tradition. Just say it."

"Katara…"

Aang became painfully aware of how close her mouth was to his. He could actually feel her lips brushing his when she spoke.

"Please, Aang…"

Her voice was low again; she practically sounded like she was purring. She stopped moving closer to him, the barest distance between them, and glanced up at him. She locked her gaze onto his, and he saw it again. A challenge.

"Not fair," he breathed. She smiled, still just waiting. Teasing him. Tempting him. "Okay, alright… that's enough." He tightened his hold on her hips, and she inhaled sharply. "Enough teasing." He tilted his head closer to hers. Her eyes slid closed in anticipation. "Marrying you…" She was holding her breath, waiting for an answer. "Would make me happier than any other force in the universe possibly could."

He felt her smile just before he finally closed the miniscule measure of space between them.

"I said it," he muttered against her lips.

She just laughed and pulled him closer.

* * *

_EDIT: A few people have asked which part was in the dream I had, so I'll tell you. It was that one line, "All that I am, everything there is of me, I want to be yours." I can't remember what I was dreaming about… I know it wasn't Avatar though. I just remembered that line really clearly, and it kind of evolved into this._


End file.
